I'm Here With You
by walkerstalker1969
Summary: Alternate ending to the reuniting of Beth with the group. I hope it offers to closure to all who miss Beth Greene.


There she was, walking towards him down the hall as they made the switch. Her beautiful face was covered in stitches and she looked worn out, like she was ready to collapse. When she looked up from the ground and met his eyes, she couldn't help but run to him and wrap her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head into her neck, he finally had her back.

"I missed you," she whispered, "I love you Daryl." The words shocked him as they rolled off her lips. He tried to reply, but the words caught in his throat and all he could do was pull her closer into his arms.

"Let's go." Rick said with a smile spread across his face. They got Beth and Carol back and everyone was okay. The group turned and headed out the big double doors of the hospital, leaving the group of cops behind them. Outside a huge red fire truck greeted them and Abraham climbed out to greet them.

"We came back," he forced a smile, but before he could say anything about their journey, a scream of joy and disbelief escaped from behind him. Maggie jumped out of the truck and ran to her sister, embracing her tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks. Everyone was back together, finally. They all climbed into the firetruck and left, looking for any place that they could stay for the night, somewhere that was 'safe'.

They had found an empty house with a huge, fenced in backyard. Thankfully it was still in good shape and there were even some supplies and canned goods hidden inside. Everyone chose a spot to sleep, Beth and Maggie took the couch, but Daryl took watch. There was no way he would be able to get any sleep, he had to make sure Beth was safe, he couldn't lose her again. The commotion died down in the house as everyone fell asleep, leaving Daryl to his own thoughts. He was still beating himself up for losing Beth and sending her to a place that marked up her beautiful face, but at least she was back with him. That's what mattered more than anything, because even though he hadn't said it back, he loved that girl.

"Hey," her quiet voice interrupted his thoughts, "Why don't you get some sleep?"

"Can't," he grunted his response. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his back.

"Hey, I'm here with you. Stop beating yourself up. I can see it in your eyes." It was as if she could read his mind, but instead of agreeing he shook his head. She walked around him and forced him to look her in the eyes, "I love you, I'm here with you. You got me back."

"I lost you," he whimpered, "these," he touched the cuts on her face lightly, "are my fault."

"No, their not." She rested her forehead against his and began crying. The whole time she had been stuck in that place, she had been thinking of him and now that they were back together, he was blaming himself for what Dawn did to her. She wanted her old Daryl back, the one that slept in a coffin and listened to her singing, the one that confessed his deepest feelings to her when he got drunk, the one that she called hers. And that's when it happened, her Daryl returned and pulled her lips into his, taking control, and letting her know that he was here with her too. The kiss wasn't hungry or lustful, it was filled with love and compassion, it was his way of saying "I love you."

Every night she had dreamt about him, kissing him, holding him, just being with him. She had never wanted anything more in her life and now that she had it, it was better than she had ever imagined.

"What happened?" Daryl finally pulled his lips from hers, 'When you were in that hospital, what happened?"

"I was there working off my 'debt'. Since they saved me, I owed them. I tried to escape, but I couldn't and when I had enough, I was going to kill the doctor, but then Carol showed up and I had to be the one to protect her and fix her." A tear escaped her eye, "Those people were terrible." Daryl pulled her into him and wrapped his arm around her.

Wiping the tear from her eye he whispered, "That'll never happen again. I promise." She nodded and buried her face into his chest, he made her feel so safe, like nothing could hurt her.

The door opened from behind them and Rick walked out, "Beth, I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what?" She looked up from her place in Daryl's arms.

"You saved Carol, she saved all of us at this place, Terminus. It just means a lot and I'm happy you're safe." He smiled at them and then walked back inside.

"Hey, wait here," she winked at Daryl and snuck back inside, leaving him on the porch. He waited patiently, but wondered what the hell she was doing. When she returned she had a mason jar filled with moonshine in her hands. "This place has a shed out back too," she smiled. He hadn't even gone past the front door, but Beth had searched the entire place. She sat down on the railing across from him with the bottle in between them, "I've never eaten Mexican food." She laughed.

"Not this again, you know I'm an asshole when I drink." He shook his head and took a sip, he had eaten Mexican food before.

"It's okay, we'll just stay on fun topics."

"Fine," he mumbled, "I never wore a dress." She took a sip and started laughing hysterically, "What?"

"I just pictured you in a dress," her laugh was so adorable and contagious, he couldn't help but join her. Before she could go on with the game, he took a big gulp of moonshine and kissed her she was, walking across the hallway to him. She had scars upon her face, but she was still more beautiful than he remembered. Tears began to roll down her face and she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as if letting go would force her to wake up, but this wasn't a dream. It was real and he had her back in his arms.

"I ain't never loved anyone like I love you," he forced the words out, praying she wouldn't take a drink.

"You gotta take a drink Mr. Dixon, cause I feel the same."


End file.
